Elmalky, A., Ahmed, A., Albalawi, H., Al Husain, A., Alshammari, A., Alqarni, K., Albalawi, M. (2021). Assessment of Sensitivity and Specificity of Nasopharyngeal and Throat Swabs in Detection of COVID-19 Infection Among Admitted Patients: A Scientific Perspective. Egyptian Journal of Ear, Nose, Throat and Allied Sciences, 22(22), 1-5. doi: 10.21608/ejentas.2021.50673.1285
Ahmed M. Elmalky; Ahmed Ali Ahmed; Haya Jamal Albalawi; Abdulmajeed Al Husain; Afnan Alshammari; Khalid Saad Alqarni; Marwa Jamal Albalawi. "Assessment of Sensitivity and Specificity of Nasopharyngeal and Throat Swabs in Detection of COVID-19 Infection Among Admitted Patients: A Scientific Perspective". Egyptian Journal of Ear, Nose, Throat and Allied Sciences, 22, 22, 2021, 1-5. doi: 10.21608/ejentas.2021.50673.1285
Elmalky, A., Ahmed, A., Albalawi, H., Al Husain, A., Alshammari, A., Alqarni, K., Albalawi, M. (2021). 'Assessment of Sensitivity and Specificity of Nasopharyngeal and Throat Swabs in Detection of COVID-19 Infection Among Admitted Patients: A Scientific Perspective', Egyptian Journal of Ear, Nose, Throat and Allied Sciences, 22(22), pp. 1-5. doi: 10.21608/ejentas.2021.50673.1285
Elmalky, A., Ahmed, A., Albalawi, H., Al Husain, A., Alshammari, A., Alqarni, K., Albalawi, M. Assessment of Sensitivity and Specificity of Nasopharyngeal and Throat Swabs in Detection of COVID-19 Infection Among Admitted Patients: A Scientific Perspective. Egyptian Journal of Ear, Nose, Throat and Allied Sciences, 2021; 22(22): 1-5. doi: 10.21608/ejentas.2021.50673.1285
Assessment of Sensitivity and Specificity of Nasopharyngeal and Throat Swabs in Detection of COVID-19 Infection Among Admitted Patients: A Scientific Perspective
2Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
3Undergraduate Student, College of Medicine, Tabuk University, Saudi Arabia
4Faculty of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-kharj, Saudi Arabia
5Department of Respiratory Care, College of Applied Medical Sciences in Jubail, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University- Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
6Medical Intern, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk
7Lab specialist, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, Master of Molecular microbiology, Strathclyde University. UK
Abstract
Background: Early and accurate detection of respiratory viruses (RV) is important for patient management. We have previously shown that self-collected nasal swabs (NS) are feasible and as sensitive as clinician-collected nasal washes for detection of RV, but the additive benefit of self-collected throat swabs is unknown. Objectives: To test the rise in auto sufficient nasal yields to the throat swabs in patients with upper respiratory (URTI) symptoms for PCR identification of RV. Study Design: Patients with URTI symptoms self-collected paired polyurethane foam NS and nylon flocked throat swabs and completed a symptom survey. Swabs were tested for 12 RV by real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Descriptive, McNemar's, and Wilcoxon signed rank statistical tests were used. Results: The sample was made up of 115 paired swab nasals and throat, with at least 1 specimen being positive for RV (71/115 (62 percent), including 51 positive for both specimens, 17 positive for NS only and 3 favorable for RV only with throat swab. NS was 96 percent sensitive (95 percent CI: 88-99) compared with 76 per cent in throat swabs, p < 0.001 (95 percent CI: 65-85). The median PCR period threshold (Ct) of 51 concordant samples was lower in NS (25.1) than in swabs of the throat (32.0). Conclusion: Self-collection of NS was significantly more sensitive than self-collection of throat swabs for detection of RV by RT-PCR. The addition of throat sampling does not appear to increase the diagnostic load in the self-testing setting.
View on SCiNiTO
Top